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Howlin must reengage with Unions and An Post following ballot at National Lottery Company

Responding to this afternoons National Lottery Company ballot result Sinn Féin Deputy Leader Mary Lou McDonald TD has called on the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to reengage with unions and An Post.

Members of two unions representing workers at the National Lottery Company voted against LRC proposals on the terms attached to their move to the new lottery license holder Premier Lotteries Ireland.

The Dublin Central TD said:

“This afternoon’s ballot result must act as a wakeup call to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Two of the three unions voted against the LRC proposals and the final vote was split down the middle. Time and again workers have been promised options but have been given ultimatums.

“The majority of workers at the National Lottery Company are on permanent secondment from An Post and therefore have a right to return to the company if they choose to do so.

“Brendan Howlin has refused to deal with the impasse between management and workers for months now, despite his department’s direct involvement in the Labour Relations Commission’s discussions.

“The bottom line is that the majority of the current employees of the National Lottery Company are contractually bound to An Post. Brendan Howlin’s decision to announce the new lottery license holder in the absence of any agreement with employees on their future was inappropriate.

“Despite knowing of the standoff between An Post management and workers the Minister for Public Expenditure opted to take a back seat instead of providing a solution to a problem he is responsible for creating in the first instance.

“Crisis management is becoming the hallmark of this government. Workers at An Post National Lottery Company have built a successful company that has provided billions of euro in community support. It is unacceptable that the Minister has let the situation escalate to this point.”